Not sure that S9 will be a celeb. edition. I recently saw a tv spot for Survivior tryouts taking place in somewhere in Cleveland at least I think thats where it would be held. I'm in Canada watching a Ohio station.

Confession of a PirateInterview with John Kirhoffer, challenge producer for Survivor. He discusses some behind the scenes work on the Pearl Islands and briefly talks about All Stars.La PrensaThursday, January 8, 2004

By: Jackie SouterJanuary 5, 2004Translated by: Griffe

The challenges of “Survivor” are designed by John Kirhoffer, who holds some of the best kept secrets of this television program.

If there is a t.v. program that has caused sensation, it's Survivor which only in the US, has had 20 million weekly viewers.

And Panama was lucky enough to be chosen as their location not just once but for two editions of the American version.

But what is behind such a production? In an exclusive interview with La Prensa, one of the producers of the show, John Kirhoffer, revealed some secrets about the filming of Survivor in the Pearl Islands which took place in the last half of 2003.

Q: What role do you have in the production of Survivor?John Kirhoffer: My responsibility since the first series, is to create the challenges and rewards for the players. But I do not do this alone... I have Dan, my associate along with a team in Los Angeles that work with me.

Q: What type of work is involved?JK: Our department tests all the challenges to ensure that they work properly and that they are safe. To test them, we hire 20 young people. At times, I can't believe I get paid for this work as I have a lot of fun doing it.

Q: Why did the Survivor producers choose Panama?JK: Oh that's easy. We chose the Pearl Islands because it's a beautiful place and because it looks remote. For you it probably doesn't look that way but for North America, it comes across as remote. Also it is immersed in pirate legends, so it was logical to choose this place.

Q: How difficult is it to keep the events of the filming a secret?JK: It is almost impossible. There are so many people working on the production and so many people gossip that it is difficult. And although everyone working for us has to sign a confidentiality agreement, there is always someone repeating information like calling their cousins and saying "You know who got voted out third?".

Q: Was it more difficult on Contadora since it's so close to the city of Panama?JK: In fact it was more difficult because we were in such a public area. Our locations were restricted but the local people who worked for us would come and go and there was bound to be things that got repeated.

Q: How successful was this last series compared to the previous ones?JK: The first Survivor (filmed in Borneo) was a phenomenon because it was new and unique. Since then, we have always been one of the most watched program on US television. But this last show filmed in Panama was the most successful and most praised by the critics since the first one.

Q: How come?JK: It's a combination of casting (most important are the players) and the challenges. It is the beauty of the location combined with the personalities clashes because after all this is a show about 16 people and how they interact with each other under extreme conditions.

Q: Why do you think viewers enjoy this program?JK: Because it is a microcosm of real life we can all relate to. For example, imagine if you had to live 24 hours a day with people you work with, and have to decide who makes the fire, who is lazy, who doesn't talk to you... everyone can identify with being forced to live with people that we don't like.

Q: What is the next Survivor called?JK: As far as I know, it's "All Stars". Although the title doesn't give it away, it will be in Panama again (note: it is the first time that two shows will be filmed in the same country)Q: How many Panamanians were hired?JK: I believe we had 200 Panamanians on staff and 200 foreigners. Half and half as we usually do it.

Q: I know that Survivor built some structures but they destroyed them right after?JK: We always remove and take away anything that we built. Something for which we are proud of is that no one ever complained about how we left the locations we've used. We always leave them in better shape then how we found them.

Q: Any secrets you want to share for the next Survivor?JK: The next one will be with "the stars". Not necessarily the players that previously won... some did and others not. My boss chose them based on the ones considered having the most interesting personalities.

Q: When will it air in the US?JK: The first episode will air on February 1st right after the Super Bowl on CBS.

Q: What is the best challenge that you designed?JK: Hmmm... there are so many! I believe that one of the best ones is the one we did for the Pearl Islands. It was an obstacle race aboard a shipwreck. Dan and I wanted it to be like pirate movies where people swing off ropes, climb ladders, jump and slide. The Art Department built a huge ship on the beach.

Q: So you build everything yourselves on site?JK: Yes and we even buy the materials locally. Even though we always film in remote places, it always has to be a place that has access to a city to be able to obtain materials and it needs to be a short distance by helicopter to a major hospital in case of accidents.

Q: Who was your favourite player?JK: I have to agree with the rest of the US and say Rupert. I believe that he will be the only Survivor that will become a movie star.

Q: Will there be more Survivor series after "All Star"?JK: Yes. We already have people scouting for the next location

So they have all the survivors picked for S9 already?. That will be so nice in Fiji. I guess we will have to watch the boards when Wendy posts as she tried out but could not tell us if she made it or not. Any comments Wendy??

Survivor 11: Ohio. The only place in the US where it can be 50 degrees and snowing, where you can use your A/C and heat in the car on the same trip from Cleveland to Youngstown ( 90 minute drive), and one of the few places where you get thunder-blizzrds. Join us as the show tapes this summer during the monsoon season, an extremely volatile weather period where it is guaranteed to rain at least twice a day, flood once a week minimum, and maintains a humidity above 80% at all times. Can our 16 new contestants survive the 40 days and 40 nights of rain and join Moses in the record books? Tune in this fall to find out, only on Thursdays at 8 PM on CBS.

They can film in Nunavut (close to North Pole). Live in Igloos, fish for food and have challenges in the snow. Picture it immunity challenge number 1: Whoever can toboggan the farthest lol. Picture it it would be funni, not to mention that the contestants will have to live thru -50 degrees celcius weather.

FIRE UP the Tiki torches and pass the Doritos. Survivor might be coming to Canada. And a French-language version of The Apprentice is. Mega-producer Mark Burnett told the Sun in Los Angeles he's seriously considering shooting an edition of Survivor, his top-rated reality series, in the Great White North.

At a press party Wednesday night, I asked Burnett for the umpteenth time if Canadians will finally be allowed to compete in the No. 1 show in Canada. "No, but we could be going to Canada for Survivor," he said.

He suggested it could happen as early as Survivor 11.

This past spring's Survivor: All-Stars was the eighth edition of the reality series. If the current twice-a-year schedule were to continue, Survivor 11 would air in fall 2005.

NO STRANGER

Burnett is no stranger to our land.

He began his career as TV's top unscripted-series producer in British Columbia, where his first Eco-Challenge series ran.

What's more, several members of his crack Survivor camera team are B.C. natives. He's likely scouting the more rugged regions of that province as a future Survivor base.

Burnett is still reluctant to shoot a winter Survivor -- who wants to see babes such as Amber or Jenna in parkas? -- so Burnett needs to wait until next summer to tape the game in warm weather in Canada.

Burnett, though, already has decided to bring one of his ace shows to Canada. He recently partnered with a Quebec broadcaster to produce a French-language version of The Apprentice.